1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to networks for providing telephone services. More particularly, the present invention relates to the creation of automated marketing opportunities through intelligent-networked public telephone systems.
2. Background
Intelligent Networks (INs) are software and hardware hybrids which can be used to automatically process telephone calls in a telephone system. Besides routinely routing calls from a calling party to a called party/destination number, an IN may also be adapted to handle various pre-paid and post-paid calling card transactions, as well as non-calling card transactions.
A service control point (SCP) in the IN provides the logic that governs call-handling, etc., and contains a database that stores useful information needed for various transactions. The IN also contains several switches for both receiving calls to the network and physically routing calls to destination numbers. Each switch contains a Service Switching Point (SSP) for interfacing with calling parties and performing the actual call routing under the instruction of the SCP. The SCP and SSP may be connected with a high-speed link utilizing, for example, the Intelligent Network Application Protocol (INAP), as approved by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and International Telecommunication Unit (ITU).
Of great interest is how the speed, precision and automatism of the IN can be leveraged in intelligent-networked public telephone systems to provide new, efficient marketing opportunities for businesses targeting telephone customers.
In view of the previously-defined marketing goals, the present invention provides a telecommunications system for processing telephone calls at least including:
a plurality of input telephonic devices operatively coupled to an origination telephone line for initiating telephone calls;
an automated intelligent network (IN) coupled to origination telephone lines adapted to process telephone calls, the IN at least including a service control point (SCP), and the SCP at least including an SCP control unit and an SCP database coupled to the SCP control unit, the IN being adapted to authorize the routing of telephone calls;
at least one switch operatively coupled to the origination telephone line and to the SCP, the switch adapted to route calls authorized by the SCP to a destination number specified by the customer; and
an intelligent peripheral (IP) adapted to store a pre-recorded product/service menu and advertisements allowing a customer to designate a product or service advertisement to which the customer can listen;
wherein the SCP is adapted is route a customer bonus call to a destination number specified by the customer after the customer listens to a product/service advertisement.
The present invention also provides, in a telecommunications system, a method for processing telephone calls at least including the steps of:
providing a plurality of input telephonic devices operatively coupled to an origination telephone line for initiating telephone calls;
providing an automated intelligent network (IN) coupled to origination telephone lines adapted to process telephone calls, the IN at least including a service control point (SCP), and the SCP at least including an SCP control unit and an SCP database coupled to the SCP control unit, the IN authorizing the routing of telephone calls;
providing at least one switch operatively coupled to the origination telephone line and to the SCP, the switch routing calls authorized by the SCP to a destination number specified by the customer;
via an intelligent peripheral (IP), storing a pre-recorded product/service menu and advertisements allowing a customer to designate a product or service advertisement to which the customer can listen; and
via the SCP, routing a customer bonus call to a destination number specified by the customer after the customer listens to a product/service advertisement.